Watch Lindsey's video

Overview

I need to obtain instruction toward my Driver's License.

This includes:
*behind-the-wheel instruction: $350/ 6 hours
*$30 driver's license fee

My current situation is that I need professional driving lessons in order to obtain my Driver's License and finally begin driving my kids to day care/school and myself to work. As a single working mother of two children, it is very difficult to get around on the bus, especially in the suburbs. In addition, it's a bare necessity that I at least have the ability to drive should the opportunity arise. However, none of my family members own a car, and my friends cannot dedicate enough time to teach me to drive themselves, so driving instruction is crucial in me taking this step toward independence.

Meeting my need for my behind-the-wheel instruction and driver's license fee will allow me to take the next step in buying a car. Once I get my license, I will be able to save my cab and bus fare to use for the expenses of gas and insurance. A friend is willing to sell me a decent car for a low price once I obtain my license. I will then be able to safely get my kids to day care/school and myself to work as well as improve my ability to access other essential daily activities.

Meeting this need will help me achieve future goals because once I can drive and have my own car, distance will no longer be a barrier for me. I will no longer have to choose where I live, where my children attend school, and where I work, just because it is close enough to walk or public transit accessible. My kids will stay healthier, we will have more time to spend together as a family, and I will have more access to other needs and support systems to make my life and the life I see for my children more sustainable.

Right now, my biggest challenge is that I must walk several miles to my daughter's day care, then catch a bus to my son's school, and then walk another mile to reach my job. In addition, after work, the bus schedule does not allow me to reach my daughter's day care before closing, which consequently results in me also being late to pick up my son from his after-school program. Because my daughter has chronic bronchiolitis, I often take a cab part of the way to protect her from the cold. This commute is extremely stressful for my family and extraordinarily expensive. I spend a great amount of time and money just to get to work and get home each day, which takes away from some of the regular childhood experiences I would like my children to enjoy.

I became a mother my freshman year of high school, at the age of 14. I spent every summer in summer school in order to make up for classes I missed when my child was born, so I never had the opportunity to take Driver's Ed. In addition, my family did not have enough money to own a car so I have never had the opportunity to learn from my parents. When I enrolled in a 4-year college after high school, I always hoped to enroll in driver's ed classes. However, the cost of books and tuition along with the time I spent studying and caring for my son, in addition to my daughter (born my 3rd year of college) proved that I would have to wait until after I graduated college to get my driver's license.

In 4 years, I graduated with my BA. Immediately following graduation, I studied the written driver's test and obtained my driver's permit this summer. The permit is good for a year, and since I am an adult there is no driving hours requirement. I do have a little experience driving, but not enough to drive safely independently or obtain my license.

Although I work, my salary is not enough to support myself and my children. I live on my own and pay all my living and child care/dependent expenses on my own, so the driving instruction fee combined with my every day expenses is too great. Meeting this fee will also offset the cost of my auto purchase.

I think of myself mostly as a social activist. As a young mother, I aspired to instill the values in my children that I wished to see in the world--social justice and equality, especially in relation to gender, race, and class (in no relevant order). My studies and my motherhood have influenced this self-perspective immensely.

I'm most proud of my children. When people look at a single mother, often their first thought is: failure. But I say, no this is my greatest accomplishment.

I live with my 8 year old son and 22 month old daughter.

I went to school at University of Illinois at Chicago. I currently work as a Case Manager at a non-profit organization.

Something interesting about me is I have a tattoo of a mushroom on my ankle.

Watch Chantay's video

Validated

Validated by Chantay from Childcare Network of Evanston (What does this mean?)

I have known I have had the pleasure of knowing her for over 13 years. Lindsey first enrolled in our program and received aid as a single teen parent in need of child care. Lindsey did go off to college, and got a four year degree and currently wants to learn how to drive and get her driver's license.

I think meeting this need is important because this is something that she really wants to do and this is another goal that she has set for herself and completed . She will not have to walk to work and two different schools.

This will move Lindsey's life forward because she will not have to walk to the child care center and drop one child off and then walk to the other school and drop her older son off and than walk to work. Lindsey  repeats the same routine in the evening, snow, rain, cold and hot weather.

Lindsey is such a great parent. She always wants to better herself and the life of her children, and the people she serves. She works for an organization that provides help to the community the same way that Benevolent does. It's funny -- like she's paying it forward, she's helping others and Benevolent is going to help her reach her own goals.

About Chantay

My job title is family advocate and I have been in this position for the last two years. My work involves providing resources and empowering families. What I like about my job is just helping people, meeting them were they are in life and moving forward to accomplish their… Read more